Marco Rubio announces foreign aid waivers for Haiti during visit to Dominican Republic

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that President Donald Trump's administration approved foreign aid waivers totaling $40.7 million to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) and the Haitian National Police (HNP). The former Republican senator from Florida made the announcement during his visit to the Dominican Republic, where he will culminate his Latin American tour after having previously visited Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

Rubio said in a statement that this financial assistance will include vehicle maintenance and logistics contracts for MSS forward operating bases, as well as transportation services for all equipment deliveries provided by the State Department to the HNP. Likewise, the money will include medical services contracts for the Haitian police agency.

Positive results on his tour

Pending a press conference or statement on his meeting with Dominican President Luis Abinader, Rubio's Latin American tour has been a success, as his main objectives are to materialize migratory agreements and to stop China's advance in the region.

While Rubio reached an agreement with the Guatemalan government for it to receive more illegal immigrants from both Guatemala and other nations, the secretary of state also got Panama to take important steps in distancing itself from the Chinese communist regime.

Likewise, Rubio achieved an agreement with the Costa Rican government on migration, drug trafficking and cybersecurity. Meanwhile, he strengthened diplomatic and political ties with the Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, with the Latin American leader agreeing to hold not only illegal immigrants who committed crimes but also U.S. criminals in his country's prisons.